OMB arbitrators are salivating waiting for this file to hit their desks, though it's a much nicer building than Claridge's typical fare. I dig the ground floor commercial too.

It absolutely boggles my mind that even after the revised zoning bylaw, there's still a 3m "front lawn setback" required for this property...say nothing of the 4 commercial parking spaces and 44 visitor spaces.

__________________Franky: Ajldub, name calling is what they do when good arguments can't be found - don't sink to their level. Claiming the thread is "boring" is also a way to try to discredit a thread that doesn't match their particular bias.

I believe she was, yes. She was also against an 8-storey retirement home/condo thing that would've gone beside some heritage building not far from Tribeca.

__________________Franky: Ajldub, name calling is what they do when good arguments can't be found - don't sink to their level. Claiming the thread is "boring" is also a way to try to discredit a thread that doesn't match their particular bias.

I believe she was, yes. She was also against an 8-storey retirement home/condo thing that would've gone beside some heritage building not far from Tribeca.

I think you mean the Opus proposal for Gilmour between O'Connor and Metcalf, there's a beautiful old school building on the corner of O'Connor (with gorgeous meeting rooms inside that are currently being used by community groups, NGOs, etc), with less-than-beautiful additions down the block: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=gilmour+and+o'connor+st,+ottawa&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=30.682067,55.634766&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=O'Connor+St+%26+Gilmour+St,+Ottawa,+Ottawa+Division,+Ontario+K2P+1V3,+Canada&ll=45.415021,-75.692912&spn=0,0.001698&z=19&layer=c&cbll=45.414991,-75.692987&panoid=fBsPhCzNK52XLYxcgserJg&cbp=12,102.96,,0,-1.61

This and Tribeca are exactly what we need to close up that gap in our skyline between Place Bell and the Western half of our stumpy CBD. We will then have 7 more modern-looking towers in the skyline including HP1 and 2, Mondrian, EDC (the new one), Tribeca, and Nepean Tower!

This and Tribeca are exactly what we need to close up that gap in our skyline between Place Bell and the Western half of our stumpy CBD. We will then have 7 more modern-looking towers in the skyline including HP1 and 2, Mondrian, EDC (the new one), Tribeca, and Nepean Tower!

You know, I actually don't have a problem with the 'stumpiness' of our CBD - I think it's somewhat attractive to have the buildings here all seem to end at a reasonably consistent height. This is part of the character of Ottawa - what sets us apart from other North American cities. There are symptoms of the stumpiness I do not like (poorly designed box-like buildings), but the fact that they all end near the same height has allowed for more density in terms of numbers of tall buildings, and a greater breadth to the skyline than in other similarly-sized cities. There is also something to be said for preserving those views that do exist both to and from the Peace Tower. To recap: I would rather have a sizeable downtown with stumpy buildings than just one or two skyscrapers.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to see 30+, 40+ or even 50+ buildings in Ottawa. I just think that it would hurt the uniqueness of our city for them to be in the current CBD. I think a Secondary Central Business District, or SBD with these taller buildings could develop either at Tunney's, or even better, at the Booth Street complex and the surrounding area at Preston and Carling.

This and Tribeca are exactly what we need to close up that gap in our skyline between Place Bell and the Western half of our stumpy CBD. We will then have 7 more modern-looking towers in the skyline including HP1 and 2, Mondrian, EDC (the new one), Tribeca, and Nepean Tower!